Insect attraction by using physical attractants (for example: light, colors or the like) or chemical attractants (pheromones and/or kairomones, or the like) towards a device (ranging from the simplest devices to the most complex ones), with the goal of capturing the insects, either for monitoring certain pest populations or for killing them, by means of a control agent (physical or chemical) is a principle on which substantially all the globally used traps or toxic baits are based. Besides, it is an important tool for a number of crop pest control programs and there is a great number of national and international publications in this field.
There are systems and devices manufactured and/or distributed by supplier companies in the local market, pursuing a goal that is similar to that of the present invention. Amongst them, it is possible to mention two devices for capturing and controlling a pest: a “boll weevil trap” with synthetic pheromone (Grandlure®) and a “tube for killing cotton boll weevils” (Anthonomus grandis Boh).
The “boll weevil trap” is formed by three adjustable pieces: a frusto-conical body or base provided with holes, a plastic or metal mesh cone, and collector cylinder or lid. The body is painted green and supports the two remaining parts, the mesh cone (either metallic or plastic) connecting the body and the collector cylinder together. This mesh allows pheromone diffusion from the supplying means positioned in the collector cylinder. The collector chamber, or capture chamber, inside of which the means supplying the pheromone (commercially marketed as Grandlure®) and the insecticide (dichlorvos or DDVP) is/are positioned, is made of a transparent plastic material and it is laterally perforated, to allow diffusion of pheromone which is released mainly by the collector base, positioned at the top of the mesh cone, and being removable for the sake of emptying. The trap is fixed to the ground by means of a wooden stake ranging from 1.20 cm to 1.50 m in height, which is laterally attached to the body or base of the trap (buried into the ground) and along which the insects climb, thereby entering (to the interior of the trap) through the inlet holes provided in the frusto-conical body or may climb along its outer face and, eventually, keep away from being trapped. In theses traps having a metal mesh cone, while insects enter the traps and get captured, they die and accumulate between the collector cylinder walls and the end portion of the mesh cone, wherein the only inlet hole to the capture chamber is located. The disadvantage of these traps is that, if the number of individuals trapped and killed is high, the chamber is quickly filled up, thus stopping subsequent captures, either because the inlet hole is blocked or because the pheromone diffusion is interfered.
In view of this, one of the disadvantages of the well-known “boll weevil traps” is that not all the attracted insects enter the device and get trapped therein. Besides, pheromone release is produced through the holes of the collector cylinder and the joining portion between the cylinder and the mesh cone, located at a distance of 1.20 to 1.50 m from the ground, which, under certain circumstances, may prevent the insect from finding the exact location of the trapping device.
The solution to the prior art problem supplied by the present invnetion is a trap with a foot through which weevils will climb, that facilitates central entrance of the insects to the capture body of the device, in order to minimize escapes through the outer side walls thereof, and to avoid pheromone releases along the device's body (from the ground to the capture area itself). This allows integrating the base as an active part of the attraction and capture device, since the insecticide and pheromone dispensers are positioned far from the area where the captured and killed insects will accumulate, thus avoiding any blockage of the insect inlet bore that leads to the collector chamber or capture vessel and keeping free from any interferences of the pheromone release. The device of the present invention provides this solution.
Another well-known commercially available device “tube for killing boll weevils”, also known as “TMP” (Tubo Mata Picudos), a specific device for attracting and killing cotton boll weevils which slowly releases pheromone (Grandlure®) to attract the insects. The device consists of a biodegradable cardboard tube, 90 cm tall, yellowish-green in color (an attractive color to the insect), coated with a mixture of Malathion® insecticide. At the upper part of the tube, pheromone Grandlure® 60 milligrams (mg) is inserted, which is diffused through the holes present on the body of the device, in order to attract the boll weevil towards the TMP. Control is performed when the insect walks along the tube and gets poisoned with the insecticide. As it feels the effects of the poison, it will get away from the tube and, in most cases, die far away from the tube, which also is a drawback. The TMP has a service life of about 50 to 60 days after it is placed in the field.
Another disadvantage of the “TMP” system is that the tube having attractive colors and being impregnated all over its surface with the insecticide lacks a mechanism allowing to prevent people or animals from eventually contacting the pesticide, which, in the case of minor-scale cotton producers involved in family farming, would imply a huge risk to the family members, especially children, and farm animals. On the other hand, at the end of the service life of the TMP (from 50 to 60 days following placement thereof), said TMP becomes a waste element difficult to eliminate in a system that attempts safe handling of agrotoxic waste materials.
The solution to the above-mentioned problem is providing a device that poisons the insect and, in turn, diminishes the risk of contact with the pesticide-impregnated parts by humans and animals by reducing the poisoned surface, and prevents toxic waste materials from accumulating because it has a longer service life. This is also solved by the device of the present invention.
Several international documents have been published in this field, namely:
Document WO 01/87940 A2 discloses an encoded gene to combat coleopterans. However, the specification and drawings thereof show an apparatus used for this purpose which is based on a mechanical action that shakes the plants to be treated.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,803,303 describes compounds made of Grandlure®, glycol, and derivatives thereof, in the form of pellets to release the product attracting the weevil within brief periods.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,949,515 describes an apparatus for capturing cotton boll weevils comprising a cylindrical base attached to a wire-mesh inverted funnel which leads into a transparent rectangular or square retaining vessel with an attractant therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,987,577 describes a boll weevil trap comprising a support means or base, preferably colored or painted fluorescent yellow, and an open-ended hollow guiding means releasably mounted on the upper end of the support means. A plastic body in the shape of an inverted funnel leading into a spherical container is placed onto the base, said container functioning as a capture chamber inside of which pheromone Glandlure® and insecticide dispensers are located. The base thereof allows coupling with the above-mentioned plastic body. When the cotton boll weevil is attracted thereto by the combination of the fluorescent yellow color of said trap and the pheromone, the insect moves upwardly, enters the trap and is collected in the transparent and perforated collection chamber at the upper end of the trap.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,968 describes a synthetically prepared boll weevil attractant formulated in the form of a gelled emulsion containing crude cottonseed oil, used to trap and destroy cotton boll weevils for periods up to 2 weeks. It does not describe any capture trap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,420 describes a method for attracting cotton boll weevils by using pheromones (Grandlure®), in combination with other substances (toxic substances and other attractants) applied to a device designed for being air dropped onto cotton plants.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,335 describes devices for the controlled delivery and release of pest controlling substances, and methods for producing and utilizing them in pest control programs. It consists of laminated devices which comprise one or more layers containing active pest control and pest attractant substances and which allow the controlled release of the substances from within the laminate to the surface thereof so as to maximize efficiency against target species in the surrounding environment. The laminated structure also allows prolonged, and properly timed release of the substances (attractant and toxic substances) that might otherwise be prematurely dissipated, decomposed or inefficiently applied. Various combinations of polymeric materials, active agents, and a number of different laminated structures are employed to optimize the use of the pest controlling substance against target species.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,425 describes a boll weevil trap having a base member, an inverted wire mesh funnel, a capture chamber mounted over the apex of the wire-mesh funnel. This trap further includes a piece releasably mounted on the mouth of the funnel to retain the funnel in place and maintain the circular configuration of the funnel's mouth.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,733 describes compositions and methods for attracting, killing, and/or reducing populations of boll weevils and other insects which spend the winter in areas with thick vegetation. With respect to boll weevils, certain plant compounds, such as eugenol, beta-caryophyllene, and myrcene, as present in the leaves of the favorite overwintering sites of Anthonomus grandis, when employed along with Grandlure®, increase the capture of boll weevils by as much as 50% as compared to Grandlure® alone. These compounds can be used alone, in combination with Grandlure®, and/or in combination with compounds which are toxic to boll weevils or which inhibit their ability to develop normally or reproduce. With respect to controlling other overwintering insects, appropriate attracting compounds, besides the corresponding pheromones, can be identified from the leaf litter surrounding their overwintering sites. The compounds can be used in traps, or formulated into polymeric controlled release formulations, along with the Glandlure® and/or toxicants, insect growth regulators or insect sterilants. However, this document does not disclose any capture and control trap.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,316,017 describes a composition which includes a binder, a pigment, an insect toxicant, an insect feeding stimulant or a toxicant regeneration enhancer, and an ingredient which is both a filler and a thickener. The composition may be applied to a solid substrate to reproduce an article of manufacture which is both attractive and toxic to insect pests and therefore useful for insect control. FIG. 2 of this document shows a device including a substrate (1) that may be cylindrical in shape, although the configurations and sizes thereof may vary. The pointed end (3) facilitates inserting the substrate into ground (5). The substrate has coating (7) thereon, corresponding to a composition claimed by this document. Coating (7) may be formed by holding the pointed end (3) of substrate (1) and dipping the reminder of the substrate into the claimed liquid composition. Optionally, the article to be manufactured of this document may include cap (9), for example a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cap (shown cut-away) on upper end (11) of substrate (1). According to this document, the cap may be made in line with the description of U.S. Pat. No. 5,290,556 by the same inventor. More specifically, this cap is a bait-insecticide composition comprising: a polymer, at least one insect pheromone, at least one insect pheromone, at least one insect feeding stimulant, and an insect toxicant. However, the device of the present invention is a trap for capturing and killing insects, especially cotton boll weevil Anthonomus grandis. The present invention does not claim any compositions comprising chemical substances, or attractants, or insecticides or any other agents, even though, for insect attraction, pheromones, kairomones (optional) and insecticides are used for the control thereof. As opposed to this document, the present invention does not consist of any substrate or support on which a substance or compound (by painting, oiling or dipping) is applied. On the contrary, the present invention comprises a capture chamber, inside of which a means supplying insecticide (removable and renewable) and another means containing kairomones (separated from the first one and also renewable) are located, higher up in the trap and completely separated from these means, a capsule (also renewable) where the attractant, pheromone Grandlure® or any other commercially available pheromone, is contained. Assay 1 of the mentioned patent teaches that the composition was applied to the stakes by dipping, and luminum pans were placed underneath to facilitate collection of the insects killed due to intoxication with the insecticide. This clearly shows that the US Patent is not a capture trap like the one described for the device of the present invention, where the insects get trapped and remain confined until they die inside the capture chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,430,868 describes a trap for capturing coleopteran insects, comprising a base, a guiding element positioned upon the base and a chamber positioned upon the guiding element.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,402,302 describes compositions and methods for attracting, capturing and killing populations of cotton boll weevils (Anthonomus grandis Boh) in traps. With respect to the attraction and capture, it mentions a single dispenser containing Glandure® and insecticide dichlorvos (2,2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate—DDVP) to be employed in the capture and control of said insects (by killing them), in a trap that is similar to the one disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 6,430,868.
Document US 2003/0229919 A1 describes a novel Bacillus thuringiensis gene encoding a Coleopteran inhibitory insecticidal crystal protein that provides plant protection from cotton boll weevils Ag, when applied to plants in an insecticidally effective composition. However, no capture trap is disclosed.